When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, many of us experienced the kind of panic at grocery stores normally reserved for natural disasters. However, in this case, items such as meat, rice, beans, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and clean supplies were flying off the shelves. Many non-essential businesses were closing, and more folks were staying home. And since COVID-19 was particularly dangerous for older folks, they often found themselves in dire straits having to choose between staying home and going to the grocery store. And for seniors who relied on part-time jobs at essential businesses to survive, this posed another issue — should they work or stay at home to protect themselves from the virus?
Georgetown, Tennessee, resident Layne Mckeel has been trying to limit going out as much as possible. He often would make a trip to the store whenever his disability check arrives so he can make sure he’s stocked up on all the essentials he needs. However, a few months ago, after he received his check, Mckeel went to the grocery store and put about $170 worth of items in his cart. However, what he didn’t realize at the time was that he had missed the senior discount hour the store set up to help out its elderly customers. So, once he reached the cashier and she rang up his true total, his heart just sank.
“When she said it was $173.00, I said ‘Oh no’ and I pulled my wallet out and I only had 140,” McKeel told WRCBtv.
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While the young 17-year-old cashier was simply doing her job when she told him the total, she could not bear to see the elderly man slowly taking items out from his cart, especially since everything he had was essential items anyone would need.
“It was all essential stuff so I was just like you know, and he was like what do I owe you? And I was like no, it’s fine, I’ll take care of it, it’s okay,” said Elizabeth Taylor, cashier at Fresh N Low in Georgetown.
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While Layne was willing to put back a couple of items, Taylor made the decision to do something she doesn’t often do. After all, she figured had he been there in time for senior hours, he would have had enough, and he had already risked his health by coming out to her store that day. So went ahead and paid the balance of his bill out of her own pocket. At first, Layne did not have the words.
“She’s just a little angel is what she was. You know, just the light of day,” McKeel said.
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While a lot of folks criticize the moral character of today’s youth, Taylor reminds us that there are kids out there like her who ensure that our future’s in very good hands.
Taylor’s story is just one of millions out there of young folks going beyond to make sure this world is a better place, one good deed at a time. You can watch a news report on this story in the video below.
